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Headlight motor replacement

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Old Oct 16, 2019 | 05:05 PM
  #21  
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This is what I did. Took about 2 weeks to get here. That was about 3 years ago. No problems since then.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Corvette-C5...kAAOSwWm5dJVlU
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Old Oct 16, 2019 | 05:59 PM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by unlvrebel
Aren't the aftermarket ones all just remanufactured AC Delcos? So in the end, you're getting a stock motor that was probably grabbed off the heap
and a new nylon gear was put in it...
im not sure that is exactly correct. The aftermarket actuators have different casings and wiring. And they run much quieter than oem.

also, the newer oem motors now have screws on the casing and the casing is completely round rather than having the round with flat top and bottom. (This means than the rubber cover doesnt fit anymore)
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Old Oct 16, 2019 | 06:00 PM
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Originally Posted by unlvrebel
Aren't the aftermarket ones all just remanufactured AC Delcos? So in the end, you're getting a stock motor that was probably grabbed off the heap and a new nylon gear was put in it...
I would be happy if that were the case, so I hope so haha. Don't quote me on this, but I think the aftermarket replacement was noticeably lighter.
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Old Oct 16, 2019 | 06:22 PM
  #24  
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Originally Posted by UM Rebel
This is what I did. Took about 2 weeks to get here. That was about 3 years ago. No problems since then.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Corvette-C5-Firebird-Headlight-Motor-Repair-Bronze-Gear-Upgrade/302522001613?hash=item466fb768cd:glkAA OSwWm5dJVlU
I was considering that as well, but for only another $25, I was able to save a lot of time and hassle replacing the entire motor vs breaking into my sealed OEM motor haha. Time is getting more valuable as I get older

Originally Posted by STRMLNE
im not sure that is exactly correct. The aftermarket actuators have different casings and wiring. And they run much quieter than oem.

also, the newer oem motors now have screws on the casing and the casing is completely round rather than having the round with flat top and bottom. (This means than the rubber cover doesnt fit anymore)
I agree on them being quieter, I noticed that right away. Made me consider replacing the other OEM motor just for that reason alone haha.
Which rubber cover are you talking about? The one that goes on the adjustment ****? That's the only one I had on my OEM motor and it fit my aftermarket unit perfectly as well.
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Old Oct 16, 2019 | 06:30 PM
  #25  
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Originally Posted by heggsc5
I was considering that as well, but for only another $25, I was able to save a lot of time and hassle replacing the entire motor vs breaking into my sealed OEM motor haha. Time is getting more valuable as I get older



I agree on them being quieter, I noticed that right away. Made me consider replacing the other OEM motor just for that reason alone haha.
Which rubber cover are you talking about? The one that goes on the adjustment ****? That's the only one I had on my OEM motor and it fit my aftermarket unit perfectly as well.
i know. Oem rubber cover fits aftermarket motors. But like my post said, oem rubber cover no longer fit the UPDATED oem actuators which are now completely round. That’s why gm discontinued the rubber covers.

Last edited by STRMLNE; Oct 16, 2019 at 06:31 PM.
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Old Oct 16, 2019 | 06:39 PM
  #26  
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Originally Posted by STRMLNE
i know. Oem rubber cover fits aftermarket motors. But like my post said, oem rubber cover no longer fit the UPDATED oem actuators which are now completely round. That’s why gm discontinued the rubber covers.
Sorry, I'm a little slow today. What I meant to say is that I don't recall my OEM motor actuator not being round already. No sweat
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Old Oct 16, 2019 | 07:37 PM
  #27  
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Originally Posted by heggsc5
Sorry, I'm a little slow today. What I meant to say is that I don't recall my OEM motor actuator not being round already. No sweat
oem actuators are round with a flat top and bottom. The rubber cover is the same. The NEWER and UPDATED oem actuators are completely round with no flat parts Therefore doing away with the rubber covers.
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Old Oct 18, 2019 | 03:25 PM
  #28  
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Originally Posted by STRMLNE
im not sure that is exactly correct. The aftermarket actuators have different casings and wiring. And they run much quieter than oem.

also, the newer oem motors now have screws on the casing and the casing is completely round rather than having the round with flat top and bottom. (This means than the rubber cover doesnt fit anymore)

OK, cool. It's just that all the Cardone one's that I have seen advertised say remanufactured. Every one of them. I did see some New one's on Part's Geek though...

Quieter than OEM? Hmmm... I don't think that I've ever heard my headlight motors... probably cause I wasn't listening for them. I'll do that tonight. Or could be the stereo...
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Old Oct 18, 2019 | 03:39 PM
  #29  
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When you replace the motors yourself you have to test cycle them. That’s when you can hear the difference.
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Old Feb 21, 2023 | 11:20 PM
  #30  
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Please do Not play the "Gear Game". BTDT... I just bought both LH & RH NEW Motor assemblies on eBay. for $85.00. Yes both!
The factory motors are glued together and a total nightmare to reassemble. I flipped the plastc gears and then replaced them, went to brass and rechecked eBay
BAM! $85.00 Hondos.... Eric ASE CMAT,

Last edited by Capterics; Feb 21, 2023 at 11:34 PM.
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Old Feb 22, 2023 | 05:02 PM
  #31  
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I would rather buy an aftermarket motor than go into the motor and have to replace the gear and glue the thing back together. Unpopular take.
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Old Feb 22, 2023 | 06:13 PM
  #32  
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FYI, the 2000 to 2004 headlight motors are glued together. They are also inexpensive to replace from Amazon.
The 1997 to 1999 motors are screwed together cases. These are around $350 for a pair on Amazon. I would do the gear replacement with them.

The two motor types are not interchangeable. They have different mountings.

Gary
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Old Feb 22, 2023 | 06:13 PM
  #33  
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Hard to believe but the C5 headlight motors are still <$40 each....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-Left-Rig...edirect=mobile
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Old Jul 15, 2025 | 07:38 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by jdmvette
Hard to believe but the C5 headlight motors are still <$40 each....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/2x-Left-Rig...edirect=mobile
Yep, still only 86 for the pair.. This is the route I will be going. My driver motor makes a racket after it fully closes.. The passenger isn't even opening right now, but the lights are on so I need to do some diag on this first (maybe fuse is blown or maybe the bumpstops worn out/missing).
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Old Jul 16, 2025 | 03:10 PM
  #35  
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Found yesterday, besides my driver motor obviously having stripped gears and just needing replaced. I manually raised the passenger up a hair so the linkage wasn't on the bump stop too hard, hit the switch and it went up. Looked down at the bump stop and it had a solid groove worn into it holding the arm too tightly when it is down. Have 8 new bump stops on the way from Rodney.
Really only need 4 since the back ones aren't used anymore with the 4eyec5 kit that replaced them with the larger black stops. So I guess I will have a few for down the road.
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